i have just phoned a number that i found on the internet and have spoke with some people in portugal and me and my wife have just got a weeks accommodation in tenerife for £99,it seems that the january sales are still here.fantastic,if you want to no more.drop in a line.i still have the number.

Portugal may offer bags of sunshine, more golf courses than you can swing a club on and long, sandy beaches but it has also gained a name for itself as pretty pricey and upmarket. In many of the established resort developments along the south coast now you won’t get much under £350,000 (€505,000), so it seems that finding decent property for less than £80,000 (€115,410) is a tall order.

However, that isn’t necessarily so. According to several agents I spoke to, there are still opportunities to buy at good prices all across the country – not just in beautiful rural locations but along the glitzy Algarve as well.

“People always think the Algarve is more exclusive and expensive than it actually is,” says Connie Vitto of Quadrant Overseas Property. “Some areas are very high end but not all property is like that. If you want lots of facilities and golf courses you will have to pay a high price for them but it’s not necessary. For example, I know of a good studio, large enough to be converted into a one-bedroom flat, for £80,000 (€115,410). It just needs a lick of paint. ”

Vitto says that if you just want a small bolthole and aren’t too fussed about amenities you can buy in many places along the Algarve, even in very central locations, for under £80,000 (€115,410). If you head further west towards Lagos or east towards Tavira, you will find more opportunities at that price. “A lot of people don’t realise that even if you just go a few miles inland you can find lower cost property – the coast adds a 50 to 100 per cent premium.”

Vitto has several value-for-money residences on her books, including apartments in a new block in the central Algarve with lots of great facilities, including a rooftop bar, mini-golf and children’s play area from £74,000 (€106.755). There is also a one-bed townhouse in the centre of bustling Lagos, in the western Algarve, for £60,000 (€86,558) and a one-bedroom apartment in the same town with lovely views for just £45,000 (€64,918). Additionally she has a pretty two-bed villa in the countryside of Raposeira for £68,000 (€98,099).

Another option, if you really want to be on the south coast, is fractional ownership, which allows you use of a property for several weeks per year at a smaller cost than owning outright. You lose the independence of sole ownership but often get a larger, swisher property with all amenities on tap.

Vigia has several fractional schemes at its luxury resorts on the western Algarve. A 12th share in a villa at posh Parque de Floresta golf resort, for example, costs from £25,000 (€36,000). Ownership also allows access to all on-site facilities, such as spa, pools and golf course. Meanwhile, a 12th of a three- or four-bedroom home in the similarly swanky Quinta de Fortaleza costs from £55,500 (€79,300).
Just like the Algarve, Portugal’s pretty capital, Lisbon, is also somewhere that might surprise you. One of the cheapest capitals in Europe, Lisbon can even offer those with less money a place of their own. “If you just want a little base in the city you can buy cheap property even here,” says Vitto. She has a tiny but perfectly adequate one-bedroom apartment for £45,500 (€65,000), which she described as “cute and in the heart of the historic centre”.

Raise your budget a little and you could easily winkle out larger one- or two-bedroom places for around the £80,000 (€115,410) mark, but some may not have great views or will be in need of work. Vitto suggests good places to look are the Bairro Alto or Alfama, the centrally located old part of the city where she claims all the tourists want to be.

For those who can’t bear to give up the seaside dream, then there is always the Silver Coast, which is becoming very popular with golfing developers but still has good prices. The region is around 45 minutes from Lisbon and Porto, which are both well served by budget flights and good roads make the driving pretty easy.
You might not be able to afford to buy on one of the big new resorts currently under construction in this area but you may be able to stretch to a local house. You can find cheap property but, again, you need to be prepared to look inland. “You can get renovation projects in the Silver Coast region for around £80,000 (€115,410) to £120,000 (€173,000),” says Vitto, who recently sold a lovely three-bedroom property in this area for just over £80,000 (€115,410).

The only issue with renovations is that you need to be able to budget for the cost of the work involved in making the building habitable. One agent who knows this first hand is Kirstin Honeywill of Portuguese Homes, who works in the Alentejo region. The area is a vast rural part of central Portugal and, as well as selling property in the region, Honeywill is restoring her own ruin on 11 hectares of land.

“With most ruins you will need to spend at least€€50,000 (£35,000) to bring them up to standard,” she says, “but for £80,000 (€115,410) you can easily find ruins with lots of land and if you have at least five hectares it enables you to build a large house. For not much more outlay you can turn the ruin into a nice two- or three-bedroom home.”
Honeywill says that she has seen an increase in people from northern Europe sourcing property in the previously unknown Alentejo. She thinks the interest comes from a combination of increased publicity, good roads and the fact that you get better value than elsewhere. There is also talk of a new airport opening towards the end of 2008 in the town of Beja.

Honeywill has a good selection of property on her books, including rural homes, village houses and seaside apartments for around £60,000 (€86,600) to £80,000 (€115,410). The town of San Luis is one place that seems to be soaking up the influx of foreign ex-pats, mainly because it offers the benefits of small town, rural life with access to a good range of amenities and a close community.

From San Luis, you can be at the sea in 15 minutes. However, if you hanker after salt air and are prepared to go smaller, you can find apartments in the pretty town of Vila Nova de Milfontes for around £80,000 (€115,410) or less. Portuguese Homes has a classic one-bedroom apartment costing €€102,000 (£71,000). “You definitely get less for your money on the coast,” cautions Honeywill, “but you have the advantage of being able to walk to the beach.”

Another agent dealing with country property is Ricardo Rodrigues of Pinhal Rural, which specialises in the Alto Alentejo and Beira Baixa regions with their focal point being Castel Branco, which is around two hours from Lisbon. This is a tranquil spot without any major industry, but people are starting to buy here.

Rodrigues says the majority of clients he has are looking for restoration projects at low prices that they can then spend more time and money doing up to their own specifications. He says that around €50,000 (£35,000) to €100,000 (£70,000) will get a ruin with up to 10,000 square metres of land but it is possible to go cheaper still. On his website there are small farms, country houses and apartments in local towns for as little as €30,000 (£21,000), though most projects are in need of major work.

Like Honeywill, Rodrigues estimates that you would need to spend at least €50,000 (£35,000) to get any of these ruins into a liveable state but then he says you could expect to increase the property value by at least double your initial outlay. “For a rebuilt house with land you’re looking at €150,000 (£105,000) to €250,000 (£175,000) depending on size. There aren’t too many properties in good condition on the market at the moment so prices for them are higher.”

The peace and natural surroundings of rural Portugal certainly make it a special second-home location and with prices in some areas still so low we may see more Brits heading there soon.

Britton says buying her Portuguese home was the best move she ever made. “It changed my life. I’d recommend anyone to try Portugal.”

Overseas buyers considering Portugal as the place to buy a dream home in the sun, will have thought of the Algarve in Portugal. The most recognised area in Portugal it is known mostly for its popular beaches, golf courses and nightlife.

Central Algarve is without doubt the most heavily visited of all the parts of this region. It is sandwiched between the two largest cities in the region, Faro on the eastern edge and Portimao on the western edge, and has kilometers of beaches and lots of activities to keep visitors and residents alike busy.

The climate is gorgeous in the Central Algarve for just about the whole year. Summer is hot, spring and autumn are moderate and the area is great for doing outdoor activities for at any time of the year. The winter is cool and wet, but even that time of the year is a nice change from much of northern Europe.

The Central Algarve stretches from just west of Faro to just east of Portimao, near Lagoa. The area is about 50 kilometers wide, so everything is within an easy drive no matter where you are, and the rest of the Algarve is easy to reach as well. This section of the Algarve is known for its resorts, and the towns of Albufeira, Sesmarias, Valamoura and Quarteira are a few of the more popular seaside resorts. This area also has plenty of golf destinations. Loule and Lagoa are popular towns with plenty of places to stay.

Albufeira is the major resort and tourist destination in the whole Algarve. The year round population of 35,000 increases exponentially in the summer. There are a number of golf courses and resorts around the town and the resort of Vilamoura, just to the east of Albufeira, is known as the golf capital of the Algarve. Albufeira makes a superb central Algarve base for family golf and recreation holidays. The diverse choice of golf courses near Albufeira coincides with a number of great family holiday attractions, particularly beaches. Quinta do Lago near Quarteira, just to the east of Vilamoura, is recognized as one of Europe’s best golf holiday resorts. There are four luxurious 18 hole golf courses are in the area, and two of these are listed in Europe’s top 25 golf courses.

For nightlife, Albufeira is the best place to have some fun. The Strip near the Montechoro section of town is very popular, particularly with younger crowds. There are lots of great bars and clubs along this stretch. Vilamoura also has a casino and some popular nightclubs as well.

Loule is one of the larger urban areas in the whole Algarve and is a good place to find housing. Whether to buy, rent or just a quick visit, this town has lots to offer for reasonable prices on up to luxury accommodations. There are also some new golf resorts around the town that have become popular. Lagoa, on the western end of Central Algarve, is a historic old town with lots to see and plenty of places to buy or rent.

Property in the Central Algarve, as in most of the entire region, is focused along the coastal areas. There are any number of new developments and resorts, and you can find a wide variety of housing and property for sale. Golf is most popular in this part of the Algarve, so if you want to find a golf resort or development this is a great place to look. Property around Lagoa in the western end of this area is quite popular, and you can find some of the nicest and most exclusive places around this town.Be sure to compare like for like when buying property in Portugal.

Albufeira is a popular seaside town with lots of local properties and several resorts as well. Several other seaside areas include Quarteira, Sesmarieas and Carvoeiro. Inland just a bit are the towns of Loule and Almancil, both of which are near Faro and very convenient to get to from the airport. Prices for housing in this region can be reasonable for smaller apartments, and can reach in the millions of euros for large villas with great views.

To get to the Central Algarve, the fastest and least expensive route is to fly into Faro Airport (FAO). This airport is located 7 kilometers west of the city of Faro in the southeast part of the Algarve, right on the border with the Central Algarve. It is one of the most popular airports for discount carriers, offering quick and reasonably priced service to most major European and UK cities.

Just a few of the airlines that fly to Faro include Aer Lingus, British Airways, Atlantic Airways, easyJet, Flybe, Jet2.com, Ryanair and Thomsonfly. It is possible to fly from almost any major airport in the UK direct to Faro. There are many more flights during the warmer parts of the year, but this airport is becoming popular for business travelers so it has a good number of flights that operate year round.

A television crew from the popular show “A Place In The Sun” has visited the Alentejo region of Portugal documenting the country and it’s many attributes.

Local Realty firms are expecting a marked increase in the number of property sales as people are awakened to the inherent beauty of this EU partner when the show airs later this year.

While prices are still classed as at a premium in the Algarve regions there has been increased interest in the little known Alentejo region of Portugal.

Here prices are still very realistic and one can purchase a huge plot of land or a stylish villa for a fraction of the cost to purchase the same on the riviera.

During it’s visit the television crew where chaperoned by Mr Bert Snijder of Alentejo Home real estate who is regarded as one of the foremost authorities on the property market in the Alentejo region.

After spending several days filming the crew seemed to be taken with the beauty of this part of Europe which is scheduled to appear in the show “A Place In The Sun”

Needless to say that they were reluctant to leave and while shooting days of film footage they could only capture a fraction of the beauty presented to them.

So why is this part of the world so attractive at the moment, one of the reasons could be that the Portuguese Government has decided to protect the Alentejo region and prevent it from being over-run by tourism and spoilt by overcrowding and urbanization.

The Alentejo provides an environment that hasn’t changed greatly in over 100 years a lifestyle that is relaxed where one can kick off the cares of the world and start living without stress.

Are you thinking about Retirement..
Looking for that quiet place in the sun to kick back and relax, Cast off all the stress and worry of a lifetime of routine and hard work.

Maybe you already know about the Alentejo our little piece of paradise where the days are warm and the lifestyle peacefull and carefree… Where your only concern will be which wine to have with dinner. And then watching the sun go down in one of the 300 sunny days this region has.

Why just don´t pay a visit to what is called the new Tuscany or Riviera. You can fly in through Lisbon or Faro in the Algarve and you will not regret it. In the future you will be able to fly to the new international airport of Beja, in the heart of the Alentejo.

Morocco was also hoping to qualify for its first appearance in the World Cup. The team lost the first round last weekend to Casablanca 10-5 which forced them to win this game by six points, a mark that they were unable to reach even though Hicham Eziyar gave Morocco a short lead with an early penalty.

In the 16th minute Cardoso Pinto tied the game with a penalty shot giving the home team what would lead to their victory along with the converted try scored by Number 8 Vasco Uva on the 34th minute. The exciting finish came when Pinto extended the lead to eight with two more penalties in the quarter, but in the 65th Morocco’s more influential group trooped over the line for a try, converted by Eziyar, which then led to Portugal’s triumph.

Portugal’s next match to a shot for a spot in the World cup will be against Uruguay in a home-and-away series scheduled to place on the 10th of March in Portugal. They will then travel to Montevideo on the 24th of March. Other teams in Pool C of the Cup include New Zealand, Scotland, Italy and Romania.

I’m going to Lisbon on October 5 to 6, then to Fatima on the 7th. I was told that it’s better to take the bus to Fatima than to take a train. What bus then goes there? Would it be a good idea to reserve the ticket online? Thanks! (Oooh, and by the way, does anyone want to meet me in Portugal? hehehe)

Travelling from Nigeria to Portugal and transiting thru frankfurt germany, visa type C (whatever tht means) will I require a transit visa for frankfurt?

Portugal is a wonderful country to throw caution to the wind and enjoy the national cuisine.

Don’t expect to enjoy ‘haute cuisine” fare first thing in the day however, the portuguese often skip a full breakfast , normally going for a continental style breakfast. In truth you will usually see locals enjoying a light snack in a cafe on their way to work.

Lunchtime and Evening meals are a quite different and hugely pleasing experience.

The locals really love their cooking, and you can expect to be offered large portions when dining. The midday meal might be a pleasant, but time consuming business, usually enjoyed between 1.00pm and 3.00pm, and regardless of the weather, the local inhabitants eat cooked food in cafes or restaurants. The evening meal is enjoyed between 7pm and 9pm, and again, normally is a hot meal.

The charm of Portuguese cuisine is often described as ’simple ingredients, perfectly prepared’.

Portuguese cooking is in general based on superb quality, fresh regional produce, usually featuring fish, meat, olive oil, tomatoes and spices.

A good portuguese meal should start with a soup.

The best known portuguese soup, is caldo verde, a wholesome, spicy soup made from shredded kale, potatoes and chourio or linguica sausage. Caldo Verde comes from the Minho region, but is widely available anywhere in Portugal, from lisbon to the algarve holiday resorts.

Here is a Recipe for caldo verde that will let you bring the taste of portugal back home with you

Portuguese kale soup recipe

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1 pound beef, stewing (cut into one inch chunks)

1/2 lb. (227g) linguica or chorico (chopped into slivers)

1.5 quart water

Pinch of low sodium salt

3 lg. potatoes, cubed

three carrots, chopped into 1″ cubes

1.5 lb kale, chopped, or 1 pack frozen kale, defrosted

1/2 cabbage (finely chopped)

1/2 pkg. macaroni (preferably elbow)

1 can white kidney beans (any white beans will do)

1 chili pepper, (remove seeds), chopped

1/3 tsp paprika

1 tsp Olive Oil

Method:

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Peel and cut up the root vegetables.

Fill a large saucepan with the water and add the cubed beef, portuguese sausage and sea salt.

Bring to a rolling boil and keep covered until meat and portuguese sausage are barely tender.

Add the the hot pepper, carrots, beans, (if using them), paprika, chopped cabbage & kale and stir the pan well.

Recover and cook for 3/4 of an hour or until chopped kale is cooked.

When the chopped kale is ready, add the olive oil chopped potatoes & macaroni.

Keep stirring the kale soup to make sure that the chopped potatoes and macaroni don’t end up stuck to the base of the pot.

Cook slowly (keeping the saucepan lid on) until potatoes & macaroni pasta are ready to eat.

Caldo verde can be served as a first course or as a filling main course.

How many pieces of Free allowance checked baggage? weight for each suitcase? I Will be flying economy with Iberia Airlines from Miami, USA Airport to Porto, Portugal Airport. Connection in Madrid, Spain Airport. I have heard of airlines cutting back on their luggage allowance from 2 suitcases to 1…. does this apply to me???